The Communities Fund

The Communities Fund is an open, accessible fund set up to support local community groups, voluntary organisations and not-for-profit social enterprise.

The Communities Fund 2023 to 2024

The Communities Fund is set up to support local community groups, voluntary organisations, and not-for-profit social enterprise.

The fund recognises the positive impact of voluntary action enabled by our third sector partners. It is an open, accessible fund that is flexible and responsive to the city’s changing needs around the climate, poverty and inequality.

All applicants can address any one of the key outcomes:

  • improving wellbeing 
  • building cohesion
  • promoting fairness 

Examples of activities that could help achieve our outcomes

Improving wellbeing

  1. Community arts projects such as audience development workshops or performances.
  2. Sports clubs, activity and recreational initiatives or social groups.
  3. Pre-school and out of school activities, adventure pursuits, health education and counselling support for young people.
  4. Local history and heritage initiatives.

Building cohesion 

  1. Community associations and centres.
  2. Social and support groups for communities of interest or identity eg. BME, LGBT, younger and older people.
  3. Support for residents with physical or mental health difficulties.
  4. Improving the built or natural environment.

Promoting fairness

  1. Advice services and centres.
  2. Developing the skills of residents to enhance their employment prospects like volunteer training programmes.
  3. Supporting victims of crime and provision of diversionary activities for those at risk of offending.
  4. Recycling and re-use projects and raising awareness about local and healthy food.

The Engagement Fund

Open to applicants with an income of up to £20,000 per annum, with awards up to £2,000. The Engagement Fund supports groups to engage and empower local people, communities or neighbourhoods in the city.

Applicants will be able to tell us about their service users, beneficiaries, volunteers and staff as well as later demonstrating how they achieved their chosen outcome.

Apply for The Engagement Fund

Apply for the Engagement Fund with our online form. 

Application deadlines

Round 1 for full year costs and early starts - 5 May 2023
Round 2 for part year costs and later starts - 7 July 2023
Round 3 for final quarter costs - 13 October 2023
BME Engagement Fund for costs February to May 2024 – 8 December 2023

See the Engagement Fund awards for 2023 to 2024 (round 1).

See the Engagement Fund awards for 2022 to 2023.

See the Engagement Fund awards for 2021 to 2022.

The BME Engagement Fund

The BME Engagement Fund supports projects that are Black and Minority Ethnic led or have a predominantly Black and Minority Ethnic membership.  

Applications are open to groups that aim to improve wellbeing, build cohesion or promote fairness. Grants can cover activities and project costs from February to May 2024 and is open to applicants that have an income of up to £20,000 per annum, with awards up to £2,000. 

Applicants will be able to tell us about their service users, beneficiaries, volunteers and staff as well as later demonstrating how they achieved their chosen outcome. 

Apply for the BME Engagement Fund

Apply for the BME Engagement Fund with our online form.

The deadline for applications is 8 December 2023.

See the BME Engagement Fund awards for 2022 to 2023.

See the BME Engagement Fund awards for 2021 to 2022.

The Collaboration Fund

The Collaboration Fund supports the role of local community groups, voluntary organisations and not-for-profit social enterprise to form operational and strategic partnerships to support the city's most vulnerable residents.

We ask applicant organisations to complete and submit a simple expression of interest form.  All expressions of interest will require a named third sector lead, supporting partners and support from council officers.

To submit an expression of interest for Collaboration funding, or if you have queries on any of the above, please contact the Communities, Equality & Third Sector Team by sending an email to donna.edmead@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

Partnerships invited to submit a full bid for collaboration funding will be provided with additional support and guidance as appropriate. As well as later demonstrating how you have achieved your chosen outcome you will be asked to document how collaboration funding has helped your partnership build a sustainable model for future delivery. Awards up to £20,000.

Application deadlines

The Collaboration Fund 2023 to 2024 is now closed to applications.

See the Collaboration Fund awards for 2022 to 2023.

The Resilience Fund

Open to applicants with an income of up to £100,000 per annum, with awards up to £10,000. The Resilience Fund aims to support groups that are already working with local people and communities.

Applicants will be able to tell us about their delivery, networks, experience of need and any secured monies they have in place. As well as later demonstrating how they achieved their chosen outcome.

Apply to The Resilience Fund

The Resilience Fund is now closed to applications.

Application deadlines

Round 1 for full year costs and early starts - 5 May 2023
Round 2 for part costs and later starts - 7 July 2023
Round 3 for final quarter costs - 13 October 2023

See the Resilience Fund awards for 2023 to 2024 (round 1).

See the Resilience Fund awards for 2022 to 2023.

See the Resilience Fund awards for 2021 to 2022.